Improvement in projectiles for rifled ordnance



W. S. WILLIAMS.

Projectile.

Patented May 3, 1864.

Witnesses.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

NiTEn STATES PATENT FFicE.

\VMQS. \VILLIAMS, OF CANTON, OHIO.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent K0. 42.6!4, dated May 1 1564.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that-I, "WILLIAM S. VVILLIAMS, of Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Projectiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in whicht Figure l is a central longitudinal section of a projectile, illustrating my invention. .Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same, in the line a: m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the same, with one of the sliding sleeves, hereinafter described, removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in a peculiar construction and manner of applying packingrings formed of any suitable ductile metal, and employed in connection with longitudinally-sliding sleeves, by which said rings are expanded and caused to take into the grooves of the gun from which the shot is being projected, all as will be hereinafter fully explained.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may be enabled to fully understand and use the same, I

will proceed to describe its constructionand operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A may rep resent the main body of an elongated projectile, which is cast or formed with a series OI longitudinal ribs, a a a.

Upon the body A are fitted sleeves B B, which are adapted to receive a limited longitudinal movement upon said body A by the explosive force of the charge, but which are prevented from rotating thereupon by the ribs a, which enter corresponding grooves formed for their reception on the interior of the sleeves B B. The sleeve B may be formed in one piece with the cap 0, against which the explosive force of the charge is applied, and is secured-upon the body A by means of a nut, c, screwed upon a threaded stem, 0, which latter is .formed upon or rigidly inserted into the body A, and which protrudes through an aperture in the center of the cap 0, the nut o fitting snugly against a flange, c, and occupy.- ing a suitable countersink, as represented.

D D represent rings, the former of which is interposed between the sleeves B B and the latter between the foremost end of the sleeve B and the enlarged front A of the body A. These rings may be made hollow, and are designed to be formed of copper or other suitable pliant or ductile metal, and they are held in proper posit-ion upon the body A by having grooves formed on their interior surfaces for the reception of the ribs a in like manner with the sleeves B B.

The effect of the explosion of a charge upon a projectile of the above construction, when .used with a rifled gun, will be at once perceived. The first effect of the impact against the cap 0, consequent upon the" explosion of the charge,will be to impel forward the sleeves B and B, which forcibly compress the rings D D and expand the same into the grooves of the gun, the inertia of the main body A permitting the effectual expansion of the packing by the percussive force of the explosion before the missile is in full motion.

I wish it distinctly understood that I do not claim the broad idea of expanding rings of pliant metal into the grooves of a gun for the purpose of inclosing the windage and imparting rotation to the projectile to which they may be applied, as I am aware that this has been done before and by different means; but,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the ribs a with the expansible rings D D and sleeves B B, all constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

XVILLTAM S. VILLIAMS.

\Vitnesses:

L. J. Cox, IV. J MONY. 

